Press

Each year, the College holds several conferences highlighting select research coming out of the meeting. These press conferences are an opportunity for invited investigators to share their findings with members of the media. Press releases are drafted for these studies and submitted to registered press under an embargo prior to the start of the meeting.

The official press conference line-up for ACR Convergence 2021 will be made available on the press registration page. Recordings will be made available within the meeting platform for approved members of the press to accommodate various time zones.

All presentations and studies presented at the meeting are under embargo until Monday, November 1, at 10:00 AM ET. The embargo starts once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance, and it cannot be presented at other meetings after this time. Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting at https://acrabstracts.org/ and are published in a special online supplement of Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Presenters may issue a press release about their study that highlights only the information available in the abstract once they have been posted online. Any additional details and data cannot be shared. Presenters are responsible for notifying their colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting. If an abstract is withdrawn from the meeting, this will also disqualify the abstract from being featured in a press conference at the meeting.

Journalists with access to embargoed information also cannot release articles before the embargo lifts. Releasing stories prior to the embargo will result in the denial of press credentials for both the offending journalist and outlet/publication for future meetings for a period of time TBD by the ACR. For more information regarding the ACR Embargo Policy, please contact the ACR Public Relations Department.

All requests for press credentials are subject to review/approval by ACR staff, and approval one year doesn’t guarantee approval the following. News outlets/publications that meet the following criteria are eligible to have up to two (2) employed journalists and/or freelancers apply for press credentials. If the outlet/publication a journalist is working for does not meet the following eligibility criteria, their request will be denied. Requirements include:

• The news outlets/publication must publish original, editorial news coverage about the practice of rheumatology regularly throughout the year in an ongoing news section. For the purpose of ACR press credentials, original editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).
• Advertisers, sponsors, paid editorial, and other funding sources must be clearly identified.
• Complete editorial freedom from advertisers, funders and/or sponsors is required - The determination to cover the event should be driven by the outlet/publication’s editorial focus and audience independent of external sponsorship or an organization paying for the content to be developed.
• No requirements for reprinting of slides, research studies, abstracts, and/or copyright privileges as part of working with the outlet/publication.

The following outlets/publications and individuals are not eligible for press credentials:

• Freelancers without an active work assignment from an eligible news outlet/publication and/or those who wish to attend the meeting to draft articles for pitching to publications after the event.
• Persons with exhibitor, vendor, or attendee registrations, and any personnel or companies working with said individuals to produce content at the meeting.
• Publishers or a publications’ advertising, marketing, public relations, sales, or circulation personnel and any other non-editorial function representatives.
• Scientific and medical journals that do not develop and publish original, editorial news coverage in a non-peer reviewed regular news section separate from its publication throughout the year.
• Industry/exhibitor’s press officers and their public relations consultants.
• Financial or business analysts.
• Companies that develop CME and other educational programs/events (including CME writers, editors, and individuals working on behalf of organizations that have written CME based on ACR/ARP meetings in the past).
• Executive/management personnel of outlets/publications and organizations.
• Companies/organizations and employees thereof, producing publications, videos, and/or other electronic media intended for internal use, marketing, advertising, financial analysis, or public relations purposes.
• Media/communications companies producing content that is sponsored by a single organization or whose revenue for the publication or issue of a publication depends solely on coverage of the ACR’s meeting.
• Media who produce a communications vehicle that uses the ACR’s name or logo to imply endorsement from the ACR.

Note: The ACR reserves the right to impose further limitations on the number of badges issued as necessary.

Special Considerations for Press Credentials

Bloggers
Bloggers wishing to be considered for press credentials must submit an assignment letter that includes details about the blog’s audience, content focus, and minimum number of articles that will be produced. The required work samples must include copies of, or links to, recent rheumatology-related posts, and all blogs must demonstrate that original, editorial news coverage is disseminated throughout the year and that the blog has editorial freedom from advertisers and/or sponsors (single-sponsored blogs will not receive credentials; blogs with advertising must have multiple advertisers clearly identified).

Non-writing Editors
An outlet/publication may send one non-writing editor if there is a plan in place to assign editorial coverage during or immediately following the meeting. The editor must submit an assignment letter on the publication’s letterhead that explains what their role is, what type of content they will be assigning, the minimum number of articles that will be produced, and their plans for disseminating the articles. A non-writing editor counts toward the maximum number of press registrations an outlet/organization can have.

Individuals registered as press are strictly prohibited from engaging in the following activities. Violation of these parameters will result in loss of press credentials for the offending journalists and/or outlet/organization for future meetings:

• Sales, marketing, or representing a company for the purposes of obtaining advertising, subscriptions, selling photography/video production, or other products or services from any registrant or exhibitor
• Misrepresentation of role or activities to obtain media registration
• Sharing or distributing embargoed materials prior to the end of the embargo
• Developing or assisting in the development of continuing medical education programs
• Soliciting presenters and/or attendees for inclusion in CME programs or non-ACR publications
• Publishing or posting presentation slides, live streams of meeting presentations, or sharing copyrighted meeting materials without written permission (please see the ACR’s policies on abstract reprints and citations for information on how to obtain written permission to share an abstract)
• Capturing screenshots and/or recording any part of ACR Convergence 2021 for the purpose of (but not limited to) reposting (including social media), reprinting or other commercial use.

Programs presented at the meeting are for the education of attendees and purchasers of recorded presentations as authorized by the American College of Rheumatology. The information and materials displayed and presented during this meeting are the property of the ACR and the presenter and cannot be photographed, screenshot, recorded, copied, photocopied, transformed to electronic format, reproduced, or distributed without written permission of the American College of Rheumatology and the presenter.

Any use of the program content for commercial purposes (which includes, but is not limited to, oral presentations, audiovisual materials used by speakers, and program handouts) without the written consent of the ACR is prohibited. This policy applies before, during, and after the meeting. The ACR will enforce its intellectual property rights and penalize those who infringe upon them. Please reference the Abstract Permissions and Reprints page for copyright and reprint details. Journalists violating copyright may have their press credentials denied for future meetings.

Insignias and logos of the ACR, ARP, and Rheumatology Research Foundation are proprietary marks. Use of these in any fashion, by any entity, for any purpose, is prohibited without the written permission of the ACR. The use of insignias, logos, and images that mislead the intended audience to believe that a piece or production is coming from the ACR is strictly prohibited and may result in the denial of press credentials for future meetings.

All those participating in, or otherwise in attendance at, ACR meetings and events are subject to the ACR Educational Meeting Code of Conduct.

The ACR is committed, and expects its staff, guests and participants to be committed, to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status. By submitting a press registration request you are agreeing to read and abide by all aspects of the ACR Educational Meeting Code of Conduct.

Any actual or suspected violation of the Code of Conduct should be promptly reported to ACR staff or online using the Educational Activity Code of Conduct Report form. Violators are subject to expulsion from any or all aspects of the meeting or event.

If you intend to present coverage of ACR Convergence 2021 in a dedicated website, newsletter, or promotional piece of any kind, please include the following disclaimer at the top of your piece:

This information is brought to you by [insert organization name] and is not sponsored by, nor a part of, the American College of Rheumatology.

Additionally, you may not use the ACR Convergence 2021 logo nor company name to imply affiliation. Acceptable titles of your coverage are as follows:

• Highlights from ACR Convergence 2021
• ACR Convergence 2021 Highlights
• ACR Convergence 2021 Review

The ACR reserves the right to request promotional activities violating this policy be edited or removed. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in the loss of press credentials for future meetings.

To register for press access, use the Press Pass Request Form. Eligible outlets/publications sending multiple people should have each person submit a separate, individual request. Each journalist must provide the following:

• An assignment letter from an editor, assistant editor, assignment editor or designated organization official that confirms you will be representing the organization as press, and it should explain the intended use of the resulting coverage:
• The assignment letter should be on appropriate company letterhead and must include contact information for the assigning individual so that ACR staff can send follow-up questions that may need to be addressed before your application for credentials can be approved.
• Bloggers may submit an overview of their blog and explain the intended use of the resulting coverage in lieu of an assignment letter.
• Current media credentials that verify you are a working member of the print, broadcast or online media (such as a business card, accredited press pass or an official media outlet-issued credential)
• Bylined, published work samples, preferably related to the practice of rheumatology (scientific research studies, textbooks, textbook chapters, brochure/promotional copy, etc. do not qualify as news coverage).

Note: Journalists who received credentials for the previous year’s meeting must submit bylined coverage from the previous meeting in lieu of general work samples. If meeting coverage is behind a paywall, a username and password must be provided so ACR can verify the outlet/publication eligibility and confirm post-meeting coverage. If the journalist is new, but the outlet/publication is not, the assignment editor may be asked to provide proof of coverage from the previous year before journalists representing the organization will be approved for the current year’s meeting.

Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive confirmation of its approval or denial from Amanda Head, ahead@rheumatology.org, within three to seven business days depending on the volume of requests being received.

• Does the ACR share its media list?
  The ACR does not share, rent or sell the current or past list of registrants with attendees, exhibitors or their representative public relations and marketing agencies.
• Does the embargo lift on all presentations/abstracts at the same time?
  Yes. The embargo lifts on all presentations on Monday, November 1, at 10:00 AM ET, regardless of when it is presented.
• Can we apply for extra press badges?
  Requests for additional press badges will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You will be asked to show that you the amount of coverage you have planned requires more passes than what is being offered and can be facilitated with the additional access to the on-demand content that has been provided. If your request is denied, you are still able to purchase meeting access for additional team members.